Mahboob Khan becomes the first Indian to secure a BRAVE CF development contract

19 July 2023

Indian Fighter Mahboob Khan has joined the BRAVE Combat Federation Development Program and became the first athlete from his country to be listed in the pioneering initiative of the promotion. 

Throughout the years, BRAVE CF Development Program, in Partnership with KHK MMA, has seen many athletes get a 360º package, from training support with the KHK MMA team in the Kingdom of Bahrain alongside Olympic combat sports athletes and MMA world champions to competition support, media and sports consultation, and a guaranteed a contract with BRAVE CF while transitioning to professional MMA

Mahboob Khan earned this spot by becoming the biggest Indian MMA prospect under the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation. Born in Hyderabad, Mahboob went from being a cab driver in order to support his family to the first-ever Indian fighter to win a gold medal at the IMMAF World Championship and winning seven national titles in MMA. Khan was ranked one of the Top 10 pound-for-pound amateur MMA fighters in the world.

The BRAVE CF scholarship for Mahboob Khan is part of the promotion's long-time contribution to the development of MMA in India. BRAVE CF, in Partnership with KHK MMA, has hosted multiple amateur tournaments between India and Bahrain in both countries. Following the inauguration of BRAVE CF in September 2016, the promotion hosted 3 mega shows in India in 2017, 2018, and 2019, where the fans were treated with global superstars like Khamzat Chimaev.

Having the largest market share in Asian MMA today, BRAVE Combat Federation signed 7 Indian fighters and gave them the opportunity to compete at the biggest international shows.

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The promotion’s media partnerships also became the foundation for the development of Indian MMA. In 2018, the partnership between BRAVE CF and MTV saw Bollywood superstars Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt as the advertising faces of the promotion. The recent multi-year partnership with MX Player has given access to BRAVE content to more than 300 Million in the country..

"This development of MMA in India will see many more free MMA content reaching hundreds of millions of fans very soon”, said BRAVE CF President Mohammed Shahid. “The road map will continue with more development program contracts provided to Indian fighters, a road show for talent scouting with Road to BRAVE, and introduce the biggest sports economic structure in MMA being launched in 2024"

The history of BRAVE CF shows the long-term vision and strategy that is being executed. Mahboob Khan today has the opportunity to become the Global MMA face that will represent India and with the BRAVE CF roadmap in hands, the nation's future is bright for mixed martial arts.